We live 2 hours from the Myeloma doctor. We are a lower middle income family, still working but getting ready to retire. Because of the expense of travel to the city & all it includes( gas, food, parking , sometimes staying over) I am thinking of postponing retirement. Although I have my own health problems it seems like it might be necessary. It's a cunundrum because although I would rather be spending my time with my loved one it's probably necessary for me to continue working.
Anyone else dealing with this?
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Re: Financial worries
Hi Retire,
Welcome to the forum! Sorry to hear about your situation. Most myeloma centers will have a social worker which can offer assistance with most issues.
They should be able to guide you to housing and financial assistance resources and help get you to the right folks.
Don't give up, BN
Welcome to the forum! Sorry to hear about your situation. Most myeloma centers will have a social worker which can offer assistance with most issues.
They should be able to guide you to housing and financial assistance resources and help get you to the right folks.
Don't give up, BN
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Bar-none - Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 3/14
Re: Financial worries
Hi Retire29,
This sounds like a tough situation. It sounds like your loved one is the person with multiple myeloma, right? Is that person undergoing multiple myeloma drug treatment right now?
One idea would be to have the ongoing tests done by a local doctor and then have those test results reviewed by your specialist. That might save on having both of you visit your remote specialist quite as frequently. If the patient is receiving infusions/injections, you might also be able to arrange to have those treatments done locally...and again have the specialist review the ongoing test results.
This sounds like a tough situation. It sounds like your loved one is the person with multiple myeloma, right? Is that person undergoing multiple myeloma drug treatment right now?
One idea would be to have the ongoing tests done by a local doctor and then have those test results reviewed by your specialist. That might save on having both of you visit your remote specialist quite as frequently. If the patient is receiving infusions/injections, you might also be able to arrange to have those treatments done locally...and again have the specialist review the ongoing test results.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Financial worries
One option might be to move closer to the city.
I'm making a lifestyle change myself as a result of myeloma. I've just sold my house and am moving into a condo which is a little closer to the hospital.
I'm making a lifestyle change myself as a result of myeloma. I've just sold my house and am moving into a condo which is a little closer to the hospital.
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cdnirene - Name: Irene S
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: September 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 66
Re: Financial worries
Hey there Retire29,
Yes its about 3 in the a.m. Just woke up and can't go back to sleep.
My wife and I are in a similar situation. My oncologist is only a 10 minute drive from my home, but my specialist and transplant hospital is about 200 miles away. Depending on traffic, it's about a 4 to 5 hour drive. Due to insurance coverage, this is the closest contracted hospital for the SCT and luckily my oncologist works with that hospital.
I have driven to the specialist several times on my own as my wife can only take so much time off from work. I usually stay at a hotel that's about 15 miles away the night before my visit with the specialist. Usually a nice hotel, but within the budget. I also take a small cooler with water and some things to eat, saving a little that way.
My local oncologist and the specialist work together as far as treatments. So far, everything related to treatments has been done locally. Even my high-dose chemo and daily injections of Neupogen before my stem cell harvest.
I was given a lot of good information about temporary housing and assistance through a social worker at the transplant hospital. One good contact is the American Cancer Society. They told me that I would be able to get temporary housing near the SCT hospital at a reduced rate, if not fully paid for, when I have the transplant. They have a list of available accommodations to choose from.
My wife is the one with our insurance and she will be working about 4 more years till she can get Social Security and Medicare coverage herself. Her Insurance is what's saving us right now.
You might look into your insurance and see what might be considered the out-of-area coverage part of the policy. Sometimes it will assist with the extras.
Castaway
Yes its about 3 in the a.m. Just woke up and can't go back to sleep.
My wife and I are in a similar situation. My oncologist is only a 10 minute drive from my home, but my specialist and transplant hospital is about 200 miles away. Depending on traffic, it's about a 4 to 5 hour drive. Due to insurance coverage, this is the closest contracted hospital for the SCT and luckily my oncologist works with that hospital.
I have driven to the specialist several times on my own as my wife can only take so much time off from work. I usually stay at a hotel that's about 15 miles away the night before my visit with the specialist. Usually a nice hotel, but within the budget. I also take a small cooler with water and some things to eat, saving a little that way.
My local oncologist and the specialist work together as far as treatments. So far, everything related to treatments has been done locally. Even my high-dose chemo and daily injections of Neupogen before my stem cell harvest.
I was given a lot of good information about temporary housing and assistance through a social worker at the transplant hospital. One good contact is the American Cancer Society. They told me that I would be able to get temporary housing near the SCT hospital at a reduced rate, if not fully paid for, when I have the transplant. They have a list of available accommodations to choose from.
My wife is the one with our insurance and she will be working about 4 more years till she can get Social Security and Medicare coverage herself. Her Insurance is what's saving us right now.
You might look into your insurance and see what might be considered the out-of-area coverage part of the policy. Sometimes it will assist with the extras.
Castaway
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Castaway - Name: George
- Who do you know with myeloma?: just myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 1/24/14
- Age at diagnosis: 62
Re: Financial worries
When I was in the exam room at Mt. Sinai recently waiting for a shot of Velcade, a guy wandered into my room and started watching the Mets game with me. Subway conductor it turned out, with a wife that had multiple myeloma and he was a newly minted American Cancer Society volunteer. He opened my eyes to an organization I knew ZERO about other than some TV commercials I never paid attention to. As pointed out by Castaway (above), they are an incredible resource. They can help with job issues (You have cancer? You're fired!), housing issues, insurance and financial issues and so much more. They reached out to me and while I have been fortunate enough to not (yet) need their help, I hjghly suggest you talk to them.
A lot of people donate a lot of money to them, and they use it to solve problems such as yours.
Ask them - tell them - what you need. They really are there to help us.
Good luck!
- Tim.
A lot of people donate a lot of money to them, and they use it to solve problems such as yours.
Ask them - tell them - what you need. They really are there to help us.
Good luck!
- Tim.
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tmcd - Name: TMcD
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Oct 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 52
6 posts
• Page 1 of 1